Practice growth is vital to your long-term sustainability. Adding new patients and new services are both key to ensuring growth, but eventually will require you to add new practitioners to your team. Here’s what you should think about when hiring a new doctor.
DO: Consider a Practitioner’s Unique Strengths
When adding a new doctor to your practice, consider how each applicant can expand or complement the skill set you already offer. Do they offer new skills, services or specializations that can help your practice stand apart? Will they bring with them an existing patient body that can help your business build its bottom line – and that your other practitioners can also benefit from?
DON’T: Forget to Explore Conflicts of Interest
Always think of the bigger picture. Will your new doctor be taking away business from existing doctors? Are there any restrictions, requirements or non-competes that you need to consider when it comes to when and how they can begin work with you?
DO: Properly Evaluate Each Practitioner
Slow and steady beats rushing in. Every addition to your practice shapes your culture, brand, and how you’re perceived. Make sure any new addition is a good fit for your practice’s clinical needs and is well-suited to your specific culture in terms of both your team and your patients.
DON’T: Race to Fill a Role
Think beyond the resume. Consider credentials, unique skills, cultural fit, patient reviews and more when assessing whether a new doctor might be right for your practice. It’s better to take an extra few weeks – or even months – to find the right fit than it is to choose someone who might not work out.
DO: Onboard Your New Docs Properly
Every practice has its own specific protocols, goals and compensation system. Setting expectations and offering a structured onboarding goes a long way to ensuring that your new doctor settles in quickly – and well. Ensure that they understand the full extent of their role at your practice, and that they’re trained on the systems they need to hit the ground running.
DON’T: Throw Your New Doctor in the Deep End
Assuming your new doctor can jump right in to successful practice is risky business. Be sure to provide guidance and support, build a feedback loop that helps them succeed. Make sure that communication goes both ways so that they feel comfortable raising any questions or concerns with you.
DO: Communicate the Changes
Communication avoids confusion. Introduce the new doctor through your usual outreach channels, hold a meet and greet between the doctor and patients who will be assigned to them. Similarly, make sure your staff is given a chance to get to know the new doctor so that everyone is well placed to work together efficiently and effectively.
DO: Make Sure Your Practice Has Room to Grow!
Is your practice bursting at the seams? Explore how you can repurpose space, use space more efficiently, or expand into a larger or additional space. If you need help with the latter, talk to GZ Realty! With decades of experience in the medical real estate market, we can help you find the space that meets your aspirations.